Knicks Need Vintage Form from Miles McBride, Landry Shamet for Playoff Run

Bench players' 3-point shooting struggles down the stretch could hurt Knicks in postseason

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:11am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game in motion, with the players and court broken down into overlapping planes of vibrant colors.The Knicks' bench production could be a key factor in their playoff success, with Miles McBride and Landry Shamet needing to rediscover their shooting touch.NYC Today

Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, two of the New York Knicks' most important bench players, struggled with their 3-point shooting towards the end of the regular season. The team needs the duo to regain their form from earlier in the year to provide a boost off the bench during the playoffs.

Why it matters

McBride and Shamet are crucial to the Knicks' success, as they provide outside shooting and defense off the bench. If their shooting slumps continue into the postseason, it could give the Hawks an advantage in their upcoming playoff series.

The details

McBride shot just 35.7% from 3-point range in the six games after returning from a sports hernia surgery, well below his 41.3% mark for the season. Shamet shot 30.4% from deep over the final 16 games, including missing five games due to a knee injury, compared to his 39.2% season average.

  • From the start of March to the end of the regular season, Shamet shot 30.4% from 3-point range in 16 games.
  • After missing 28 games for sports hernia surgery, McBride shot 35.7% from deep in the six games he played before the regular-season finale, where he went 4-for-7.

The players

Miles McBride

A Knicks bench player who can handle point guard duties when needed and is one of the team's best 3-point shooters and point-of-attack defenders.

Landry Shamet

Another key Knicks bench player who shares similar skills with McBride as one of the team's best 3-point shooters and point-of-attack defenders.

Mitchell Robinson

The third of the Knicks' three most important bench players, along with McBride and Shamet.

Mike Brown

The Knicks' head coach, who expressed confidence that McBride and Shamet will regain their shooting touch.

Josh Giddey

A Chicago Bulls guard who defended Shamet during a recent game at Madison Square Garden.

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What they’re saying

“It's just a matter of them getting into the flow. Their last games, they shot better than what they had been doing, so we want them to let it fly because we whole-heartedly believe in them as shooters, just like they believe in themselves.”

— Mike Brown, Knicks Head Coach

“This is my fourth year [in the playoffs], but this feels like it's time to get it done and finish it off the right way. I'd say any year you don't win a championship, you should have an ambitious summer to finish off one of these seasons right with a championship. For me, it's any year we didn't win it, I'm thinking, I'm pulling from my second year, my third year — I want to win a championship. Not just selfishly, but for this city, for the guys I fight with, the staff that's helped us all year and the people behind the scenes.”

— Miles McBride

What’s next

The Knicks will need McBride and Shamet to regain their shooting touch in time for their upcoming playoff series against the Hawks. Their performance could be a key factor in determining how far the Knicks advance in the postseason.

The takeaway

The Knicks' success this season has been built in part on the strong play of their bench, led by McBride and Shamet. If the duo can't shake their late-season shooting slumps, it could hinder the team's chances of making a deep playoff run.